


The Unclaimed

by mingtothehao



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Angst, Battle, Blood and Injury, Camp Half-Blood (Percy Jackson), Claiming, Demigods, Exhaustion, Falling In Love, First Kiss, Fluff, Friendship, Getting to Know Each Other, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Mythology References, Non-Linear Narrative, Past Character Death, Rick Riordan Demigod Universe | Riordanverse, Self-Discovery, Serious Injuries, Shadow Travel (Percy Jackson), Time Skips, Violence, Weapons
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2021-01-02
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:27:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28479906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mingtothehao/pseuds/mingtothehao
Summary: A hologram appeared above his head; he had finally been claimed by his godly parent. He let out a short, humorless laugh. His father had certainly taken his time. With his new-given energy, he stood up, and marched towards the enemy.-Or, in which Hongjoong - an unclaimed demigod - gets to know his new teammates and falls in love on the way.
Relationships: Choi San/Jeong Yunho, Kim Hongjoong/Park Seonghwa
Comments: 8
Kudos: 56





	The Unclaimed

**Author's Note:**

> Hello and welcome!
> 
> Before reading my work, please read the tags carefully!
> 
> Sorry in advance if there are some grammar mistakes, I struggled with the tenses a bit here so sorry about that too. Nevertheless, I hope that you will enjoy this story!
> 
> Also, I'm a HUGE fan / nerd for Rick Riordan's books, especially the "Percy Jackson" and the "Heroes of Olympus" series as well as mythology in general, so all of that led to me wanting to write a little something about it.
> 
> Now, please enjoy!

_Present time._

_Jacksonville, Florida._

They were losing the battle.

Hongjoong had fallen to his knees, exhausted and out of breath. He had cuts all over his forearms and there was blood trickling down the side of his face. He buried the tip of his lone sword in the dirt below him, trying to push his broken body back up. He couldn’t stay down, _they_ needed him. Lifting his head up, he spotted some of his teammates; San, Yunho and Yeosang. The latter was unconscious, his body had collapsed due to the pain. By his side laid San; the male’s eyes were half-open, his lips were parted as he desperately tried to take a breath. Yunho was kneeling next to him, his hands were pressed against the younger’s slid throat; _glowing_ , as he used his remaining energy to save him. The healer was pale and looked like he could pass out any second.

Seonghwa was in front of the trio, defending them from a group of furies who were having fun tormenting the young demigod. One of them sliced a deep cut on the chestnut-haired male’s inner thigh, making him let out a yelp of pain. He fell to one knee, but kept his defense up, weapon ready to keep fighting, ready to risk it all for his friends.

Another cry of pain caught Hongjoong’s attention.

He turned his head to the side just in time to see Wooyoung being forced to the ground by a winged spirit; the harpy was closing up on him, and his bow was out of reach. Flames erupted from Mingi’s bare hands as he forced the creature to back away, giving his friend an opportunity to recover and to retrieve his emblematic weapon. Jongho was nearby, tightly holding onto his spear, fighting with a vicious centaur that was close to twice his size. The creatures kept coming and none of the remaining standing half-bloods would be able to hold on much longer.

A miracle needed to occur for them to stand a chance.

In the midst of the chaotic scene, an intense ray of light pierced the grey and clouded sky. It caught everyone’s attention, heroes, monsters and creatures alike. The beam of sunshine descended upon Hongjoong’s broken form. A hologram appeared above his head; he had finally been claimed by his godly parent. He let out a short, humorless laugh. His father had certainly taken his time. With his new-given energy, he stood up, and marched towards the enemy.

-

_Five weeks earlier._

_Long Island, New York._

Seonghwa tried to keep a straight face as Yunho finally came into view. He and Jongho had been waiting for the son of Apollo to join them in front of the big house for about twenty minutes now. His cheeks were flushed and his lips were a bit swollen; there was no need for a verbal explanation on where he had been the whole time. The son of Nike couldn’t suppress a small chuckle and a wide smirk from appearing on his face. The healer cleared his throat once he reached his companions.

“I had an urgent matter to take care of.” He swiftly lied, ears turning red.

“I see.” Seonghwa hummed. “Did that occur in Aphrodite’s cabin?” He playfully asked.

“Shut up.”

The three demigods headed inside; they were already late due to Yunho’s clingy lover – a son of Aphrodite named San. Chiron, the headmaster and director of the camp was waiting for them in his office. The centaur had a stern yet gentle expression on his face when they entered. They all took their training very seriously but they also knew when to calm down and enjoy themselves. The older had requested their presence for an unknown reason that he was going to reveal now.

“As you are aware, you and the rest of your team are set to departure to Jacksonville next month.” The headmaster reminded them. “Before that, a new member will be added to your team.” He informed the trio.

Both Jongho and Yunho let out small sounds of excitement; a gasp, a cheer.

“Maybe a child of Ares!” The one with deep, red hair spoke.

“Or one of Hecate, we could use some extra magic!”

“His name is Kim Hongjoong.” Chiron announced.

The assumptions ceased as those words were pronounced. It was silent for a few seconds before realization struck them.

“The unclaimed?” Jongho spoke, frowning.

“Don’t call him that.” The son of Athena scolded their youngest.

“But it’s true, right Chiron?”

“Yes.” He affirmed. “As of today, Hongjoong has not yet been claimed by his godly parent. But his abilities will benefit your team for the best, that, I am sure of.” The older man smiled, a hint of sadness seeping through.

Surely, everyone remembered his sudden arrival. He had come alone, bearing twin swords in each hand, blood covering a good amount of his body. It was later revealed that he was supposed to arrive under the protection of his older brother – _that_ is who the blood belonged to. Their encounter with multiple creatures had been his brother’s end. Hongjoong was mostly unharmed, but exhausted and in grief. During his stay at the infirmary, he had spoken very little with the healers that came to his aid. It was understandable but, it ended up creating a sort of unapproachable aura around him. And the mere fact that he hadn’t been claimed upon his arrival wasn’t helpful. Rumors about his godly parent started to travel from ear-to-ear. A late claim usually indicated that their affiliated deity was of greater importance. Over the past years, there had only been a single child associated to one of the three major Olympians. Therefore, Hongjoong was most likely a son of Zeus, Poseidon or Hades. But those were only rumors and only time would tell where he belonged.

Since he wasn’t claimed (and since he appeared to be _a special case_ ), he resided in the big house, along with Chiron. A little over a year had passed but Hongjoong stayed as mysterious as ever. Few campers had exchanged words with him yet, some had managed to actually _train_ with him – one of them being a son of Athena named Seonghwa. The older had acknowledged his fighting skills and his stealth. Hongjoong was a fighter, and a good one too.

“I have some things to discuss with Mister Park.” Chiron explained, implying that Yunho and Jongho should leave.

They did so without protesting, bidding their goodbyes before exiting the office. Seonghwa had arrived to the camp when he was a child, barely ten years of age, Chiron had been the one to look over him upon his arrival. He had grown and matured over the years, becoming a skilled and wise fighter, as well as a leader.

“What is on your mind, Seonghwa?”

“I’m wondering if it is wise to add him to our team.” He admitted. “He would be a unique addition but, I can’t help but wonder if he is ready for a quest and a battle much like ours.” The son of Athena frowned, biting down on his lower lip before continuing. “I fear of what the consequences may be regarding his past sufferings.”

The older man hummed. “You have always been a caring person. I can assure you that, with others like you by his side, Hongjoong will expand to his true potential and learn to allow himself to accept his past.” He affirmed.

Seonghwa nodded, understanding. “I will try my best to help him, if he lets me.”

Chiron let out a low laugh, regarding Seonghwa with a fond expression. “He most likely will. You can come out now, dear Hongjoong.” He spoke a bit louder.

The whisper of a curse was heard before the door to the office was pushed open, revealing a prying half-blood. The unclaimed child had dark, deep blue hair and nearly-black eyes. He was dressed casually; a simple pair of blue jeans with a white, long-sleeve shirt. Seonghwa hadn’t seen him this close in a few months, he couldn’t help but stare as the male made his way inside, closing the door behind himself.

“I did not mean to intrude.” Hongjoong said, gazing at the chestnut-haired male before him, then at Chiron.

“I meant to call you anyways.” He smiled. “You’ve met Seonghwa.” He assumed.

“Yes.” The male simply replied.

“Good. Now, how about meeting your new teammates? I’m sure they’ll be excited.” The headmaster suggested.

-

_Present time._

_Jacksonville, Florida._

Hongjoong looked both ethereal and lethal as he charged towards the attacking creatures. He had found his second blade and was now bearing the twin swords in either hand. It seemed that deep, black shadows surrounded him as he fought against the enemy. It made sense that the darkness would try to help him, to protect him even; forever loyal to the children of Hades. The rumors had been right, Hongjoong was indeed the son of a major Olympian and the darkest one of them, no less.

“Seonghwa!”

The demigod had been too absorbed by Hongjoong’s sudden outburst that he had let his guard down. He snaped out of his thoughts, turning around just in time to see a vine wrap itself around a harpy that had been on its way to injure him. Letting out a breath of relief, he tilted his head to the side, spotting his fellow team members and friends. Yeosang had propped himself on one elbow, his other arm was extended, the source of the vine was cradled in his open hand; a simple grain. The child of Demeter looked like he was on the verge of throwing up. Nature – his key element – had been completely destroyed around them and had weakened him immensely; he must had used his last remains of energy to summon a vine in order to save Seonghwa from further harm. The blond let himself fall back down, breathing heavily and instantly succumbing to exhaustion.

“Seonghwa.” Yunho weakly called, gaining his attention. “We need to get out of here. I can’t heal them on my own.” He explained, a tear rolling down his cheek as he stared down at his dying lover.

San had prevented the son of Apollo from further harm earlier, using his charm speak against a centaur. Unfortunately, neither of the men had seen that a second creature had been close by; a winged spirit had sliced the younger’s throat to avoid any more magical use, stopping him mid-sentence. Now, the demigod was barely conscious, pale and bleeding heavily. They needed to get out of here before the inevitable were to happen.

“Fall back!” Seonghwa cried, hoping that all of his teammates would hear him.

-

_Three weeks earlier._

_Long Island, New York._

It had initially been Wooyoung’s idea. The son of Artemis as well as his companions had been heading out of their archery lesson when the though suddenly crossed his mind. Hongjoong was a great fighter, that was sure but, he had never fought against anyone bearing magical powers, given by the gods. Luckily, there were a few magic users in their team, so they didn’t need to search far in order to choose the perfect opponent. Mingi was a son of Hephaestus, he could create and manipulate fire with his bare hands. Yunho, being a son of Apollo, could heal or at least, stabilize an injury with a simple touch. San, being a son of the deity Aphrodite, could force anyone to obey him if he were to use his charm speaking abilities. And finally, Yeosang, a child of Demeter, could manipulate anything that was nature-related, as long as said nature was nearby – that included plant, vine or tree control and everything in between.

The blond-haired half-blood had designated himself, saying that his nature abilities would be a good start. And also, that it would be an unnecessary risk to let Mingi use his fire against Hongjoong; they didn’t need to injure themselves just for the stake of training.

It all seemed like a good idea.

But it had gone wrong all too quickly.

“Hongjoong!”

_“Stop.”_

His name had been called by Seonghwa, while the order to surrender had been given by San. The unclaimed child swore that he had heard the child of Aphrodite scream the word in his mind; hence why he immediately froze, unclenching his sword and pressing his hands over his ears. The blue-haired male let out a shaky breath, blinking a few times in order to clear his vision. Yeosang was still in front of him, half-laying on the ground and breathing heavily as he stared back at the other, his attacker. Before he could move, a familiar presence was by his side. The son of Athena placed a hand on Hongjoong’s back, guiding him away from the scene, away from his teammates.

When the buzzing in his brain finally stopped, Hongjoong realized exactly where he was. Seonghwa had taken him to Athena’s cabin, he could only assume that they were in the older’s room, sitting on his bed. The male was holding onto one of the blue-haired male’s hand, idly playing with his fingers as a way to comfort him.

“Can you hear me?” He asked, once he noticed that Hongjoong was aware again.

The other simply nodded, taking in what had happened.

“San didn’t mean to, you know? He was just scared that you wouldn’t stop in time.” Seonghwa explained in a gentle yet, defensive voice. “He himself knows that his charm speaking can be overwhelming.” He added.

“What if I hadn’t stopped?” Hongjoong whispered, barely registering the older’s words.

The son of Athena froze, stopping the soothing play on the other’s fingers. “What?” He questioned in a low mumble.

“I didn’t want to stop. It didn’t even cross my mind.” The young demigod admitted.

Seonghwa stayed silent for a moment, unsure of what to say, leaving time for Hongjoong’s haunting past to catch up to him. The scene was still so vivid in his mind, he could still feel his brother’s last breath against his cheek. Tears started to fill his eyes.

“The last time I let my guard down, my brother was killed.”

“Hongjoong.” Seonghwa called, voice low, worried.

“I didn’t mean to hurt Yeosang. I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright. He’s fine.” The older assured him. Yet, it seemed that it wasn’t enough to stop Hongjoong’s tears from failing from his eyes, dripping down his cheeks.

Seeing him break so easily made Seonghwa wonder just how _alone_ Hongjoong actually was. Ever since his arrival, ever since his brother’s death, had he been able to openly talk about his feelings? Had anyone even bothered to listen to him? To comfort him? The half-blood was still young and unfamiliar with all of these unreal and magical surroundings. He had to watch his brother _die_ , then, leave him behind, he had to reach camp on his own if he wanted to survive. And he did, he lived only to be left aside by other demigods, unclaimed, unbelonging, unwanted.

The son of Athena tentatively placed a hand on the other’s shoulder, slowly sliding it down his back. The action only seemed to make Hongjoong cry harder. Weakly, the grieving male let himself fall against Seonghwa’s body, head pressed against his collarbone. The chestnut-haired male brought him closer, allowing him to bury his nose in the crook of his neck before encircling his arms around him. Was this the first hug that he had received in a year? Nevertheless, Seonghwa would let the younger cry in his arms for as long as he wished.

From now on, Seonghwa would be there to comfort him.

-

_Present Time._

_Jacksonville, Florida._

The eight half-bloods had joined each other around their injured members. They were trying to fight of the creatures that were surrounding them, while simultaneously thinking about an escape plan. No one was coming for them, the ambush had been too sudden for any of them to send a message for help, they were on their own. And so, they needed to figure something out on their own as well.

“I could use the shadows.” Hongjoong mumbled, unsure for an instant before becoming more determined the next. “I can use the shadows to travel.” He repeated. “I can take us all back to camp in a few seconds.” He spoke.

Seonghwa stared at him, eyes wide in genuine fear. “Something like that could drain you completely.” The words were rushed out of his mouth. “It’s _new_ to your body, it could _take over_ y—” He was cut off before he could finish his sentence.

 _“Let me try.”_ Hongjoong insisted, staring back at the other with an intense gaze.

The son of Athena looked away, eyes lingering on his friends until he caught Mingi’s own. The son of Hephaestus nodded, he was in favor of the decision and he deemed it _necessary_ considering their situation.

“Alright.” The older mumbled, nodding once.

The blue-haired male extended his arm, opening his hand for the other to take. Seonghwa did so without a word, doing the same in Wooyoung’s direction.

“Hold onto each other.” The child of Hades instructed.

Hongjoong closed his eyes, trying to focus on the darkness that had appeared inside him. Once his breathing had evened out again, he was able to reach within himself in order to summon the right shadows. He thought of the camp, vividly imagining it, wanting to make sure that the group would end up _there_ and not in an unknown location. He felt himself slipping, as if he were falling asleep. Then, his body grew warm and he felt as light as a feather.

He let the shadows take over.

-

_One week earlier._

_Long Island, New York._

Wooyoung and Mingi’s laughter filled the others’ ears while Yeosang playfully hit Jongho’s shoulder, putting up a show. The group of eight half-bloods were sitting around a table, they had just finished eating dinner and were now basking in the night air. The atmosphere was calm and full of joy. They were set to leave for their quest soon and so, they had decided that a night together would be best for some more bonding. The food was delicious and the wine was even better; they were all a bit tipsy, bodies and minds fuzzy.

At some point in the night, San had climbed in his boyfriend’s lap. Now, the two were actively making-out, unbothered by their friends’ presence. Hongjoong couldn’t help but stare a bit; at the way Yunho had wrapped his arms around the younger’s waist, pulling him flush against him. The giggles and secretive whispers that they shared, as if they were in their own little bubble made something warm bloom inside the unclaimed child’s heart. The duo was fond of each other, there was no doubting that. When things started to become a bit too heated, everyone decided to call it a night, not wanting to intrude in the lovers’ private time together.

Seonghwa ended up walking Hongjoong back to the big house when he saw how the other nearly fell once he got up from his chair. They walked side-by-side, occasionally sharing a few words until they reached the said location. Yet, it seemed like neither of them wanted to leave as they awkwardly stood in front of the huge door.

“Tonight was fun, I enjoyed it.” The blue-haired male admitted, nodding to accentuate his words.

Seonghwa exhaled deeply, smiling. “I’m glad that you are all getting along well.” He confirmed.

Maybe it was the alcohol speaking but, it seemed like the two were awfully close to one another at this very moment.

“Thank you.” Hongjoong suddenly said. “For everything.” He added, whispering.

The chestnut-haired male nodded the slightest, eyes drifting from Hongjoong’s eyes to his lips, then to his eyes again. He parted his lips, about to say something only to stop himself. Instead, he leaned forward, pressing his lips against the other’s own in a gentle peck, pulling away barely three seconds after doing so. To his surprise, the blue-haired male chased his lips, leaning closer and stumbling forward until they were pressed chest-to-chest. Their eyes met again and they both chuckled, holding onto each other; Seonghwa’s hands around his waist, Hongjoong’s own resting against the taller’s chest. All while moving his fingers upwards, until he could cup the other’s cheeks, the shorter of the two leaned closer, eyes fluttering shut, sealing their lips together once more.

They both inhaled the other in as their lips moved to accommodate one another, grips becoming firmer as a single kiss turned into multiple ones. The warmth that he had felt earlier bloomed inside Hongjoong once more, the feeling was enjoyable and comforting, he wanted it to last forever. He unconsciously let out a whine when Seonghwa pulled away, but not before pressing another kiss to his cheek. They basked in the other’s presence for a while, unworried and unhurried until Hongjoong spoke up.

“Stay with me tonight.” He pleaded, making Seonghwa’s eyes widen the slightest, taken aback. “Just to sleep.” Hongjoong quickly clarified. “And, maybe you could…” He mumbled, hesitant.

“I could what?” The other questioned.

“Could you hug me until I fall asleep?” He asked, making the child of Athena smile before pressing a kiss to his forehead.

-

_Present day._

_Long Island, New York._

Hongjoong regained consciousness all at once; a sudden burst of _life_ travelling through his veins and making it overwhelming to even breathe. He gasped for air, eyes rolling back as they fluttered open, letting the shadows take over again. But, before they could do so, he felt someone grab his hand, pulling him back to reality an instant quicker that the drowning darkness. His vision cleared, revealing a worried-looking son of Athena.

“Hey.” He spoke, a smile painting his lips. “You’re okay. You’re alright.” He repeated, as if to convince both the injured demigod _and_ himself that it was indeed the case.

The blue-haired male tilted his head to the side, keen on knowing where they were. He recognized the place immediately; it was the healing quarters. Other patients were sleeping close by while children of Apollo made their way around them.

“We made it.” He mumbled. “How are the others? San? Yeosang?” He asked in a rush.

“They are both resting, the healers took care of them; they will be okay. Everyone is fine.” Seonghwa assured him.

“How about _you_?” He then asked, weakly intertwining their fingers together.

The chestnut-haired male smiled. “I’m fine, minor injuries that were quickly healed.” He explained.

Hongjoong nodded, he was glad that he had managed to travel in time. He was glad that his friends were alright. It had all been thanks to his claiming. Suddenly, the male wondered if he would ever get to meet Hades, wondered if such a powerful god were to be interested in meeting his rare children. Those thoughts were pushed away when the child of Athena spoke once more.

“You’ve been asleep for two days.” Seonghwa suddenly spoke. “Both the sudden claiming and the shadow travelling – _with seven other people_ – were too much for your body and mind to handle, you needed rest.” He concluded.

There was something in his eyes, an almost unreadable emotion.

“How are you feeling?” The older pressed.

Hongjoong took a minute to _feel._ His body ached but he wasn’t experiencing unbearable pain. What was more concerning were the clouded thoughts that filled his mind as well as the faint voices that he could hear. He could probably communicate with shadows but, what about deceased individuals? With practice, could he learn to summon a spirit, a lost soul? Could he speak to his brother? The son of Hades snapped his eyes shut.

“Darkness is overwhelming.” He simply said.

He felt Seonghwa swipe a thumb under his eye, wiping a stray tear away. When he blinked them back open, the chestnut-haired male was much closer. They stared at each other for a few moments, until the taller leaned down to press a small kiss against Hongjoong’s cheek.

“You’ll learn to control it, I’m sure of it.” He commented. “And I… I’ll help you.” He added, squeezing his hand.

Those words made Hongjoong bring his arms up, wrapping them around Seonghwa’s neck before pulling him closer, hugging him. The blue-haired male caressed the other’s jaw, almost taunting him until their lips met halfway. They exchanged lazy kisses for a long time, blocking out their surroundings and solely focusing on one another, realization that they could have lost each other suddenly hitting them both. Yet, they were safe, they were alright.

With Seonghwa by his side – as well as his new team _and_ friends – Hongjoong would surely be able to overcome it all.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope that you enjoyed this story, if you did, don't hesitate to leave a kudos and / or a comment (which are immensely appreciated, always).
> 
> You can find me on twitter under @mingtothehao - I hope we can be friends?
> 
> Thanks again for reading!
> 
> Bye, Ori <3


End file.
